Double-deck car.



No. 704,709. Patented July l5, I902.

W. 'E. SHARP.

DOUBLE DECK CAR.

' (Applicatiun filed Apr. 15, 1901.) (No Model.) I 3 Sheets$heet 1.

Nof 704,709.

(No Modem W. E. SHARP.

nouns DECK CAR.

iApplication filed Aim 15 1901.)

Patented luly I5, I902.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 704,709. Patented July l5, I902.

W. E. SHARP.

DOUBLE DECK BAR.

(Application filed App 15, 1901.)

' 3 $heet sSheet 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. SHARP, OF-OH-IOAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO 'ARMOUR (in COM-PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DOUBLE-DECK CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,709, dated July 15,1902.

Application filed April 15, 1901. Serial No. 5 5 ,965. (No model.)

struction, a series of removable racks adaptedto be arranged andsupported to. form an in- I 5 termediate floor or double deck, thesections of said series being so constructed that they I may be shiftedout of the way and stored against the sides of the car when not in usewithout occupyingmore than an insignificant amount of space and in whichstored position the sections are reliably secured out of the,

' of the invention constructed with close joints,

way of harm.

To this end the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described,and particu- 2 5 larly pointed out in the appended claims, and will bereadily understood from the following description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a transverse verticalsectional view taken through the body of an ordinary freight-car andshowing the arrangement of Fig. 2 is a central lonrack sections therein.gitudinal vertical sectional view of the carbody, taken on a lineextending between the outer longitudinal joist members of thelegs'upported rack-sections and the pivoted legs thereof. Fig. Sis afragmentary transverse vertical sectional view showing the rack instored position. Fig. 1 is a plan View of one 40 of the rack-section s,the central portion thereof being broken out to reduce the size of thfigure. As will hereinafter appear, the present invention is not limitedto any particular type of closed freight-car, these rack-sections andtheir mountings being suitable for use either in refrigerator-cars or inany ordinary boxcar. Referring to the drawings, 1 designates as a wholethe body of a closed car comprising side Walls 2 3, respectively, endwalls 4, roof I and those of the lower 12 and 13.

5, and the usual floor and ceiling 67, respec- 9 and 10 respectivelydesignate as a whole two series of rack-sections, the individualsections of the upper series being designated 11 i .It may be stated atthis point that the lower series of rack-sections 10 are constructed andarranged substantiallyin accordance with the construotion described inLetters Patent granted to T. B. Kirby October 21, 1900, No. 656,462, towhich patent reference is made for a detailed description of'the same.

Describing in detail the construction and arrangement of the upperseries of rack-sections 9, it may be noted that while the sections areherein shown as of open or slatted construction, suitable for theshipment of such products as require circulation of air 7o through thecar, yet it will be understood that these sections may be equally withinthe scope so as to constitute a practically continuous floor when inoperative position.

Each rack-section 11 is constructed of a width substantially equal toone-half the width of the car and of such length that the rack-sectionis not unduly heavy and unwieldy, said sections bein g preferably and asshown in the present instance made of a length equal to one-half thedistance between the side door and the end of the car. In other words,there are on each side tworack-sections placed end to end between theside-door opening of the car and either end of the latter. Each sectioncomprises a pair of longitudinally-disposed joists 14, one at eachlateral margin of the section, and an intermediate joist 15, acrosswhich longitudinal sup- 0 ports are arranged to extend a series of slats16, suitably secured theretoat regularv intervals apart, as best shownin Fig. .4. The intermediate supports 15 a're'shortertlianjthe fulllengtlnof the rack, their ends 15 termi- 5 nating some distance from theend margins of the rack-sections,as best indicated in Fig. 2, for apurpose which will hereinafter appear.

17 17 designate pairs of combined supporting and guide rods, one pairfor each rack- :00 section 11, said rods each comprising a horizontalsupporting portion 17, secured to the side wall of the car at a suitableheight to support the rack-sections in the desired position, as bestindicated in Fig. 1, and a vertical portion 17", which extends from thehorizontal supporting portion at right angles upwardly and is secured tothe ceiling. The length of the horizontal portions 17' is somewhatgreater than the vertical thickness of the joists or longitudinalmembers of the rack-sections, so that the latter may be adjusted intovertical position behind the pairs of rods and be thereby held in theposition shown in Fig. 3 in a manner to be hereinafter more fullydescribed.

In order to provide supports for the meeting margins of the oppositepairs of racks, means are provided as follows:

18 designates clips secured to the inner longitudinal support 14: of oneof each pairof transversely opposite rack-sections, there being two suchclips upon each such section and preferably located near the respectiveend margins thereof, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Each clip 1.8consists of a plate-like body portion 18, adapted to be secured flatwiseagainst the lower edge of the longitudinal support 14:, so as to projectlaterally beneath and form a support for the longitudinal stringer ofthe meeting rack-section, and .an eye portion 18", formed upon one endof the plate-like body and located inside of the longitudinal stringerand somewhat above the lower edge of the same, as clearly indicated inFig. 1. To the eye 18 is pivotallyattached a depending leg or support19, conveniently and as herein shown formed of gas-pipe provided at oneend with a flattened portion 1 through which is formed an eye 19, whichis engaged with the eye of the clip 18, the construction being such thatthe leg or support may be folded upwardly parallel with and between theupper and lower planes of the rack. In the present instance the legs 19are made of a suitable length to rest upon the lower series of racks 10;but in case this latter series be omitted they may obviously be made ofsufficientlength to rest directly upon the floor of the car.

In shifting the racksections into their stored positions their outeredges, which are located adjacent to the side walls of the car when theyare in operative position, are carried up so that they are uppermostwhen the rack is in vertical position and that side of the rack which isthe under side when in operative position is next to the side wall ofthe car. Inasmuch as the racksare of a width somewhat greater than thedistance between the horizontal supporting portions of the rod 17 andthe floor of the car, it is necessary that the racks be lifted bodilyupwardly some distance before their meeting edges can be lowered farenough to carry the rack into a vertical position. Furthermore, when theracks are in stored position they are held with their upper edges nearthe ceiling of the car, so that to permit the rack to swing down bodilyabout the pivotal connection formed by the engagement of its outerlongitudinal support with the horizontal portion of the rod 17 wouldincur unnecessary work, since the rack would thereafter have to belifted bodily upwardly again. In order to avoid these objections and tofacilitate the adjustment of the racks into stored position, I providesupportinghooks 20, one for each rack-section, and pivotally secured tothe ceiling of the car at a point about midway of the lengths of therespective rack-sections, but nearer their meeting edges, as indicatedat 21, these hooks being of a suitable length to engage with the edge ofthe rack-section when the latter is lifted up to an angle approachingforty-five degrees, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. After therack has been lifted up, and thus engaged with its hook, the oppositeside of the rack is likewise carried up into and beyond a horizontalposition, whereupon the hook is disengaged and this edge of the rackallowed to descend into verticalposition,after which it is raised bodilyto the desired height and secured. .It will be noted in this connectionthat the ends of the intermediate supports 15 of each rack-section arecut suiiiciently short to avoid interference with the rods 17.

When the series of rack-sections constituting my present invention areused in conjunction with a series of rack-sections substantially likethose of the Kirby construction herein illustrated, the latter series ofracksections when folded up into stored position form a convenient meansof support upon which to rest the upper rack-sections in storedposition-that is to say, the upper edges of the pairs of rack-sections12 form ledges upon which the lower edges of the upper series ofrack-sections rest, thereby holding them securely in uplifted position.those sections which carry the supportingplates 18 said plates formleg-like supports, which rest upon the upper margins of the lower racks,as indicated clearly in Fig. 3, while in the case of the opposite seriesof racks which are unprovided with such supporting-plates they obviouslyrest directly upon the subjacent series of racks. The character of theengagement between the upper and lower series of racks is such thatordinarily no special means are required for holding the upperrack-sections from working outwardly out of engagement with thesubjacent racks; but obviously ordinarily retaining-hooks and eyes maybe provided for example, similar to those described in the said Kirbypatent-for securing the racks absolutely in stored position.

Any suitable means may be employed for holding the rack-sectionselevated in stored position in case they be used in a car unprovidedwith the lower rack-sections adapted to form ledges upon which they mayrest, as hereinbefore described.

It will be understood from the foregoing de- In the case ,of'

tion of the car located between the side-door openings. For example, arack-section like that described in my application filedcontemporaneously herewith, Serial No. 55,964, is well adapted for thispurpose.

I claim as my invention- 1. A double-deck apparatus for cars, comprisinga series of vertically-disposed guiderods arranged adjacent to, butseparated from, the side wall of the car, rack-sections at the lowerends of said guide-rods, a series of rack-sections of less width thanthe transverse width of the car, severally provided along theirlongitudinal edges next the wall of the car withlongitndinally-extending supporting joist members adapted to rest uponsaid rack-supports between the said guiderods and the wall of the car,the construc tion-and relative arrangement of said joist and guide-rodsbeing such as to permit the rack-sections to be swung into verticalposition and shifted upwardly with their longitudinally-supportingjoists between the guiderods and wall of the car, means for supportingsaid rack-sections in said vertical and uplifted positions at a heightabove the floor of the car sufticient to accommodate a similarrack-section arranged in vertical position beneath the same and meansfor supporting the outer edges of the rack-sections to hold the same inhorizontal position.

2. A double-deck: apparatus, comprising a series of vertically-disposedguide-rods arranged adjacent to, but separated from, the side wall ofthe car, rack-sections at the lower ends of said guide-rods, a series ofrack-sections of less width than the transverse width of the car,severally provided along their longitudinal edges next the wall of thecar with longitudinally-extending supporting joist members adapted torest upon said rack-supports between the said guiderods and the wall ofthe car, the construction and relative arrangement of said joist andguide-rods being such as to permit the racksections to be swung intovertical position and shifted upwardly with theirlongitudinally-supporting joists between the guiderods and wall of thecar, means for supporting said rack-sections in said vertical anduplifted positions at a height above the floor of the car sufficient toaccommodate a similar rack-section arranged in vertical position beneaththe same and means for supporting the outer edges of the rack-sectionsto hold the same in horizontal position, and suspensionhooks secured tothe ceiling of the car at points respectively above the severalracksections and adapted to temporarily support the swinging end of theseveral rack-sections at a height intermediate their normal horizontalposition and the ceiling of the car.

3. A double-deck apparatus for cars, comprising a series ofvertically-disposed guiderods arranged adjacent to, but at an intervalfrom the side wall of the car, each guide-rod having at its lower end ahorizontal extension extending outwardly to and connected with the sidewall andforming a rack-support, a series of rack-sections of less widththan the transverse width of the car, each comprising alongitudinallydisposed joist member adjacent to each side margin and aseries of transverse slats secured to said joist members, the joistmember at the outer edges of said rack-sections being arranged to extendbetween said guide-rods and the adjacent side wall of the car andadapted to rest upon the rack-supporting portions of said rods, andmeans for supporting the opposite edges of said rack-sections comprisingone or more legs pivotally connected with one member of each pair oflaterally opposite sections and respectively adapted to be folded uponthe rack-sections when out of use, and projections upon theleg-supported sections adapted to engage and support the oppositemeeting sections, substantially as described.

a. A double-deck apparatus for cars, comprising two series ofvertically-disposed guiderods arranged adjacent to, but at an intervalfrom the respective side walls of the car, each guide-rod having at itslower end a horizontal extension extending outwardly to and connectedwith the side wall and forming a racksupport, two series ofrack-sections connected with the respective series of supports, eachrack-section of a width approximately equal to one-half the width of thecar, and each comprising a longitudinallydisposed joist member adjacentto each side margin and a series of transverse slats secured to saidjoist members, the joist member at the outer edge of each rack-sectionbeing arranged to extend between apair of said guide-rods and theadjacent side wall of the car and adapted to rest upon therack-supporting portions of said rods, means for supporting the meetingedges of the said rack-sections comprising plate-like extensions securedto the under side of the joist at the meeting margins of one section andunderlying the joist ofthe laterally opposite section and means forsupporting said sections at their meeting margins comprising legspivotally connected with said plate-like extensions, and adapted to befolded upon the racks when out of use, substantially as described.

WILLIAM E. SHARP.

Witnesses FREDERICK C. GOODWIN, L. F. MGCREA.

